Johan Ernst Nilson is from Sweden and has been traveling around the world for most of his life. He is one of today’s most celebrated travelers and adventures. But he sees himself rather as an “environmental explorer.” Johan has constantly been attracting public attention to climate change and its consequences. He gives talks and lectures on environmental awareness and the state of the world as well as on motivation, inspiration and peak performance.
During the conference, “Towards Nature” held in Marbella Spain, we had the opportunity to interview Johan. Towards Nature is a charity event, dedicated to climate change and organised specially for young generations.
The charity event raised money for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and MarbellAyuda Foudnation.
Johan has been a global adventurer for more than 20 years and travelled 170 countries. He is a Guinness world record holder. He has embarked on a journey from the North Pole to the South Pole, has already climbed the Seven Summits, has flown a boat across Europe, cycled from Sweden to the Sahara Desert, and a lot more.
Johan Ernst Nilson Interview
“Everything is possible.The impossible just takes more time”
Johan Ernst Nilson
How would you define yourself in three words ?
-Curious, responsable and stubborn
How would your friends and family define you in three words ?
– Stubborn, generous and Sensitive
The last thing you bought and loved ?
– An electric bicycle
An unforgettable place you last visited ?
– The Bhutan
A recent find ?
– That there is no poverty in nature, the cycle is Life and Die. Poverty is neither found amongst native tribes, they love, have family, food but the concept of consumer goods is not familiar to them.
You draw your inspiration from ?
-Everybody who takes risks, who go outside their comfort zone, that really inspires me. Just go for it !
An object that you would never part with?
– A stone which I have had for the past 27 years. It’s a 2.000 year old Tibetan Gzi bead. It is a talisman, very rare and I wanted it so much that I actually traded part of my art collection to get my hands on this Gzi pendant.
Tibetan believe it is not made by human hand.
A city you would love to live in ?
– My home is in the south of France, near Villefranche-sur-Mer and I love to visit New York city.
The last meal that truly impressed you ?
– The Fat Duck in London. For my birthday Heston Blumenthal prepared 12 courses representing the destinations and explorations throughout my career. Heston researched each place, besides the presentation of each course, the taste was amazing.
An object or place that best define you ?
-Bhutan.
